chapter 6: memory part 1 Flashcards
define memory
process of using information that was obtained in the past in order to generate some cognitive function in the present
what are the three components of memory and explain them
encoding
storage
retrieval
define capacity
measure of how much information a system can hold
define duration
measure of how long information remains in memory
name the three kinds of memory in the modal model of memory
sensory memory
short-term memory
long-term memory
what is the purpose of the sensory memory
to hold info in place before it can be selected for further processing
for how long do sensory inputs stay in the sensory memory
~ 1 second
short-term memory is capable of producing ___ , such as repeating a phone number someone has just told you or responding to a recall task
behavioral output
define maintenance rehearsal
mental repetition of info in short-term memory which allows info to be regenerated in order to prolong its duration
how long can memories stay in LTM
up to a lifetime
- can decay over time
whatever you are thinking about right now is occupying your ___ memory
a. sensory
b. short-term
c. long-term
d. none of the above
b. short-term
what is the process that moves information from sensory memory to short-term memory
attention
what is persistence of vision
retention of an image of an object/event for a brief period after it is no longer present
after the initial transduction of sensory information, for how long can info be retained within our NS
250 milliseconds
describe the toy called thaumatrope
disk with drawing on both sides
- when spun, illusion of seeing both images at the same time
define memory consolidation
time-dependent process by recent learned experiences are turned into LTM
how is memory represented in the brain? which brain regions are activated
hippocampus
- points toward area of the cortex involved in what’s included in memory
how does consolidation affect the brain activity of a memory
memory becomes a stable cortical pattern
- independent from hippocampus
in absence of rehearsal, what is the duration of the STM
20-30 seconds
define echoic memory
brief memory of a sound
- held for ~3 sec
define haptic memory
very brief memory of touch
define iconic memory
high-capacity/short-duration form of visual memory
~1 sec
differentiate between positive and negative afterimage
when you fixate smt and look away
pos: original image is preserved
neg: colors are reversed compared to original
describe Sperling’s (1960) experiment that tested the duration of sensory memory
Visual display: 3*4 letters
2 conditions:
- whole report: recall after “beep”
- partial report: 3 diff “beep” sounds at diff delays (0.1-1 sec)
Sensory capacity is large, but short period of time (<1sec)
how many items can the STM hold in the auditory and visual domain
auditory: 7 items
visual: 4 items
what method is used to increase the capacity of STM
chunking: combinations of letters, numbers and sounds that constitute a meaningful whole
how does chunking information engage with long-term memory
because combinations of items are matched with previously encountered stored items
in Chase & Simon’s (1973) experiment, explain why expert chess players were able to recall more pieces on a chessboard than new chess players
chunking abilities increase with knowledge
- effect not present when pieces were on the board randomly
describe the Brown-Peterson task
Ps memorize 3 letters
- right after, Ps presented with two-digits number and asked to count backward by threes out loud (prevent rehearsal)
After certain duration, Ps recall letters
- no memory by 15-18 sec
what is the most supported explanation for why forgetting occurs in STM
interference and decay
name and differentiate the two types of interference
proactive: learned info causes you to forget something you learn in the future
retroactive: newer info causes you to forget something you learned in the past
define articulatory suppression
technique used in verbal memory experiments, designed to block rehearsal, in which Ps repeat a task irrelevant utterance out loud while trying to maintain other verbal items in memory
what are the three sub-units of Baddeley’s working memory model?
- central executive
- visuo-spatial sketchpad
- phonological loop
associate the three subcomponents, the episodic buffer and the attention controller of the WMM to their respective brain area
central executive: prefrontal cortex
phon. loop: Broca’s and Wernicke’s area
visuo. sketch.: occipital lobe
episod. buffer: parietal lobe
attent. control: anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)
why do some people believe verbal and visual short term memory rely on distinct neural processes
- neuroimaging studies: diff brain activity for both
- double dissociation in neuropsychological cases
what are the two subcomponents of the phonological loop?
- phonological store: “inner ear”
- articulatory control loop: “inner voice”
what are the two subcomponents of the visual sketchpad?
- visual cache: info about visual features
- inner scribe: info about spatial location, mov and sequences
define the episodic buffer in the working memory model
component that combines information from different sources including phonological loop, visuo-spatial sketchpad and LTM
what are the main points about working memory
- limited capacity and duration
- where info can relate to prior knowledge and be manipulated
- where info enters consciousness and awareness
- critical for LTM formation
what is referred to as “acoustic confusions”
errors in memorization that occur due to the similarity in sound of the letters
what are mnemonists
people who can remember long strings of letters or numbers
name mnemonics techniques that help encode information
- naming mnemonic
- story mnemonic
- method of loci: associate pieces of info with a location or visual image
according to vogel, et al, individuals with high short-term memory capacity are better at…
focusing on relevant information and filtering out irrelevant information
what are some researches that challenged the idea that visual and auditory memory components are completely separate from each other
- people can remember many more items when they form a coherent story
- conscious experience appears to bind together different modalities
according to the working memory model, differences in short-term memory capacity are most likely attributable to which component?
a. phonological loop
b. visuo-spatial sketchpad
c. central executive
d. episodic buffer
c. central executive
which area of the brain appears to be important for directing resources of working memory?
frontal lobe
explain the delayed-match-to-sample task
- shown image
- delay
- shown second image and asked if there was a difference
explain Dresler’s (2017) experiment where he implamented the ‘method of loci’ on non-experts
3 participant groups:
- mnemonic training
- active control
- passive control
memory assed after: 20 min, 24h & 4 months
brain pattern changed in mnemonic training group
